It used to take Leslie Watson a little more than an hour to walk his weight of 209kg up Mauao. But after 50 climbs and 30 less kilograms, he now reaches the summit in 40 minutes.
The 44-year-old climbed the Mount for the 50th time on Friday. On March 30, Watson was sitting in his office which looked over Mauao when he said he had a calling.
"That day I went up and I haven't stopped since," he said. "I just had to get up there."
The father-of-four had lost 28kg since setting his daily challenge and now weighed in at 181kg.
"I feel awesome.
"I wasn't where I wanted to be... I wasn't in a good space," he said. "I had cellulitis on my right leg and I was in hospital for a week."
The weight started to pile on when Watson finished playing premier rugby and he picked up the drink - he also stopped exercising.
"I have been off the drink now for 13 weeks and I am watching what I am eating, making better choices and eating more vegetables," he said.
"It is a change of lifestyle. I want to be here for my family."
Watson's current goal weight is 120kg which is 7kg under what he weighed in at when he played premier rugby for Te Puna.
Watson's first attempt at climbing Mauao took him just over an hour. Now it takes him 40 minutes to reach the top.
"Usually I stay up there for a while and just contemplate," he said.
Thoughts of his family, friends and people he has inspired go around in his head.
"I get messages all the time and people want to walk up with me. They say, 'I wish I had your drive," he said.
"Because I am a bigger person they say, 'If Les can do it, I can do it too'."
Other than having to take pain relief to treat sciatica on his left side, nothing stops him.
"...I have to go up every day. It is my mindset now."
Watson said memories of friends and family who have passed gives him strength.
Sons Hawaiiki Watson, 7, Royce, 26, Jaydin, 20, and Bailey, 19, Matoe also motivate him, as well as his partner Joanne.
Tauranga general and laparoscopic surgeon Dr Rob Cable said Watson's greatest challenge would be maintaining the weight loss.
"It starts with great enthusiasm and unfortunately the question is 'do we have enough willpower to sustain it'?"
However, Cable applauded Watson's efforts.
"Let's say his original body weight was 100kg, if he started off carrying 100kg plus an extra 109kg in weight. It is a tremendous effort."
Cable said an obese person was putting strain on their body, including their muscles and cardiovascular system. He advised Watson to look at long-term goals, graph his progress, record his weight weekly and "keep expectations realistic".
Leslie Watson walks to the summit of Mauao every day after a 12-hour shift at work at 3pm. On weekends, Watson likes to begin his climb at 5am before the track gets busy.